Device for trimming the back edge and side face of cast slugs in a matrix-composing and line casting machine



Dec. 17, 1957 K. DEBUS ETAL 2,816,650

DEVICE FOR TRIMMING THE BACK EDGE AND SIDE FACE OF CAST SLUGS IN AMATRIX-COMPOSING AND LINE CASTING MACHINE' Filed Feb. 9, 1954 ite @tatesPatent DEVICE FOR TRllVIMING THE BACK EDGE AND SIDE FACE OF CAST SLUGSIN A MATRlX-COM- POSING AND LINE CASTING MACHINE Karl Debus, BadHomburg, and Rudolf Hiirter, Frankfurt am Main, Germany ApplicationFebruary 9, 1954, Serial No. 409,137

Claims priority, application Germany February 9, 1953 3 Claims. (Cl.199-59) This invention relates to a method of and device for trimmingthe back edge and side face of cast slugs in a matrix-composing and linecasting machine.

Known methods and devices, particularly back knives and knife blocks,for trimming the back edge and side face of cast slugs in a linecomposing and casting machine, are inadequate; when they are used,deviations of a few hundredths of a millimeter from the required sizeare often unavoidable. This in turn involves a great deal of make-readyon the forms. The inaccuracy of cast slugs is partly by the fact that acast slug, inserted in a mould without being securely held, is conveyedpast a stationary back knife. The resulting slug dimensions varyaccording to the state of the knife-edge; too sharp a knife draws theslug, too blunt a knife repels it. The same applies to the side knives,the precise cutting angle of which is also very important any inaccuracy in one slug in this case becomes multiplied in a group ofslugs.

it has been proposed that inaccuracies in slugs may be removed bycasting them a few millimeters too high and milling off the back edge tothe precise slug height, preferably by means of a planer-type millingmachine. However, this method requires a separate operation and specialmachining devices.

It has now been found that it is possible according to the presentinvention to finish a slug extremely accurately in a more simple manner,while still in a matrix-composing and line casting machine, and to keepthe dimensional variations in the height of the slug below 0.01 mm.Adjustment of the necessary accuracy in the dimensions takes placeindependently of the mould of the machine.

In order to give it a precise height, a cast slug, the back edge ofwhich may conveniently have been already deburred by means of the usualback knife, is machined on its back edge between being ejected from themould and being placed on the galley of the machine.

Since one side face of the slug can be milled simultaneously with theback edge of the slug, and hence finely machined, a knife block isunnecessary.

The slug coming from the mould is preferably pushed on to a carriageagainst stops which locate the slug. Carriage and slug are then conveyedpast a milling cutter or the like, which machines the back edge of theslug accurately. Micrometer devices are useful for accurate setting ofthe milling cutter.

It is advisable to sub-divide the stops into individual lamellae whichcan be secured in position and, in case the type edge of the slug hasblind portions as well as a type profile, to arrange for thecorresponding lamellae to be pressed back by the type profiles, whilethe remaining lamellae either rest against the blind portions of thetype edge already or are brought into contact with these portions bymeans of special members. The lamellae may then be secured or locked andthus form a stop for all portions of the type edge of the slug.

Such a reciprocally profiled stop also has the advantage that slugswhich are only partially covered with type do not tilt when they restagainst the stop and do not become inclined at an angle on the carriage.In the first instance the slug is only approximately accurate and shouldnot be pressed against the type face of the slug alone as this woulddeform the type. Thus the slug itself forms the profile of the stopwhich thus rests against the whole of the slug.

In practice it is advisable to proceed in such a manner that the ejectorblades or fingers of the ejector device of the machine force the castslug out of the mould until the type edge rests gently against thelamellae, possibly with the type-face portions pressing back thelamellae lying opposite them. The lamellae would 10- cate a blind slugaccurately in their normal or initial position.

The lamellae may then be secured, for example by means of a lockingplate, and the ejector blades retracted. The slug may then be gentlypressed against the fixed lamellae by means of a resilient member andclamped against a fixed lower stop bar at one end of the slug from theother end of the slug.

Carriage, slug and stop are then set in motion and travel along amilling cutter, the back edge being milled. At the same time one sideface of the slug can be finely machined, for example milled, as a resultof which an accurate thickness of the slug is ensured. For this purposethe thickness milling cutter is made adjustable according to the variousthicknesses, for example from 4 to 42 point thick.

The small burrs at the head of the slug on the opposite side face arepreferably removed in the same operation by means of a stationary knife,for example, a type of scraper blade.

By withdrawing the stop, the slug may be released and can slide in knownmanner on to the galley.

An embodiment of a device for carrying out the method of the inventionis hereinafter described, by way of example, with reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view of one side face of a slug pressed against stoplamellae by the ejector blades of a matrixcomposing and line castingmachine,

Figure 2 is a side view of the carriage of the machine with a clampedslug being machined both by a back edge milling cutter and by a sideface milling cutter, and

Figure 3 is a section along the line 11-11 in Figure 2.

A slug 6, pressed against stop lamellae 3, 4, 5 by the ejector blades 2of an ejector device of the machine, which is not illustrated, issupported by a carriage 1. The slug 6 rests with its end 7 against astop bar 8 and is urged against this stop by means of a force indicatedby the arrow 9. The bar 8 is thinner than the thinnest slug, i. e. about1.5 mm. The groups of lamellae 3 and 5 rest against the fixed angle-barl0 and are pressed against the bar it) by type-carrying portions 11 and12 of the slug, while the blind portions 13, 14 of the slug rest againstthe groups of larnellae 4, but do not press these against the bar 10.

The carriage l is guided by means of a dovetail 15, and holds thelamellae which are made angular. The arms of the angular lamellae whichare not cooperating with the slug are pointed as at 16. The lamellae 3,4, 5 which are subject to a slight spring pressure towards the right asshown in Figure 2, are pushed by the slug, according to the profilethereof, and are subsequently fixed in the left-hand or right-hand endposition by a pointed locking plate 17, according to their position. Achannel 18 in the carriage serves to guide a blade 19 on its rail 20.Coolant flows through a passage 21.

The side face 22 of the slug 6 is finely machined by a side-millingcutter 23, and the back edge 24 of the slug by a back-milling cutter 26mounted on a common spindle 25. The milling cutters may run, forexample, at 6000 R. P. M.

We claim:

1. A device for producing an exact required height of a cast slug in amatrix-composing and line casting machine having a mould, comprising acarriage for said slug, stop lamellae to locate said slug ejected fromsaid mould, a locking plate for said lamellae and precision cuttingtools mounted in said machine independently of said mould, said lamellaebeing individually securable by said locking plate in positions thatthey may take up depending on the profile of the type edge of said slugto form a complete stop along the whole type edge of said slug and saidcutting tools being precisely adjustable for micro finishing the backedge and a side face of said slug.

2. A device for producing an exact required height of a cast slug in amatrix-composing and line casting machine having a mould, comprising acarriage for said slug, stop lamellae to locate said slug ejected fromsaid mould, a locking plate for said lamellae, a driving shaft mountedin said machine independently of said mould and a back-milling cutterand a side-milling cutter mounted on said shaft, said lamellae beingindividually sccurable by said locking plate in positions that they maytake up depending on the profile of the type edge of said slug to form acomplete stop along the whole type edge of said slug and said cuttersbeing precisely adjustable for micro-finishing the back edge and a sideface of said slug.

3. A device for producing an exact required height of a cast slug in amatrix-composing and line casting machine having a mould comprising acarriage for said slug, stop lamellae to locate said slug ejected fromsaid mould, a locking plate for said lamellae, a driving shaft mountedin said machine independently of said mould, a back-milling cutter and aside-milling cutter mounted on said shaft, said lamellae beingindividually sccurable by said locking plate in positions that they maytake up depending on the profile of the type-edge of said slug to form acomplete stop along the Whole type edge of said slug and said cuttersbeing precisely adjustable for micro-finishing the back edge and sideface of said slug, and a fixed scraper blade held against that side faceof said slug opposite to said face which has been machined by saidside-milling cutters to remove burrs therefrom.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,083,195 Lucke DAiX Dec. 30, 1913 2,011,212 Curle Aug. 13, 19352,056,566 Curie et al. Oct. 6, 1936 2,202,942 Beiber June 4, 1940FOREIGN PATENTS 530,214 Great Britain -2 Dec. 6, 1940 OTHER REFERENCESKents Handbook (Kent) (11th ed.), published by Wiley & Sons (New York),1938 (pages 21-33 thru 2l-46).

